Letters

IF A bus or car passes you belching out smoke, you can hold your breath until the air has cleared, saving your lungs damage.

But if you inhale smoke then some damage might be caused. All animals subject to smoke will cough (including man) as nature tries to prevent lung damage, so why legalise cannabis pot, dope or whatever it is called?

Ann Widdecombe's idea of £100 fine for pot smokers might not be as daft as it sounds because in later years the NHS will have to spend more than that to treat damaged lungs.

Of course Cabinet members and Shadow Cabinet members will be rich enough to go to a private clinic. - E Reynolds, Wheatley Hill.

EDUCATION

I ATTENDED Carmel Comprehensive School in Darlington and I had an enjoyable education alongside happy-go-lucky fellow pupils and decent teachers.

However, with the Labour Party still howling at the Lords concerning Section 28, I urge my former teachers not to educate the current crop of youngsters about homosexuality should the law go through.

Such sick and perverse subjects should not be taught to children and the sooner the political clown Tony Blair gets voted out of power the better.

That way decency and pride would be restored to this glorious land. - Christopher Wardell, Darlington.

HEALTH

IN response to your article, Laying the Blame (Echo, Oct 12), I wonder how The Northern Echo can be criticised by staff at Northallerton's Friarage Hospital about the Richard Neale affair?

I bet that does not apply to the nursing staff. By that I mean the workers. They will be mortified about the whole affair, as I was. And so ashamed.

Long retired, I was a health visitor at Catterick and therefore employed by the Friarage when Mr Neale started his reign there. Believe me, I knew nothing of what was going on, until after I retired and read The Northern Echo.

If it had not been for you each of those ladies would have thought they were an individual case and just had a bit of bad luck. Now they are able to fight for their rights. - J Rutter, Richmond.

ASSAULT

I WONDER how many readers were as shocked as I was to see the report of the 14-year-old boy who sexually assaulted an eight-year-old girl, not once, but at least ten times (Echo, Oct 6).

Now this sick-minded youth has five social workers caring for him round the clock at a cost of £2,500 a week. No wonder councils never have enough money for other things when such huge amounts have to be spent on one child. - EA Moralee, Billingham.

FOOTBALL

ONCE again England are struggling for points in the World Cup preliminaries.

A TV replay showed Ray Parlour's shot was just over the line. Why can't these World Cup matches be refereed by two people, one on the field, one in front of a TV screen connected by radio? (Remember Maradona's hand-ball goal?) The same goes for Premiership football, at least. What are they waiting for? - Fred Atkinson, Shincliffe.

RACISM

WITH regard to your report on the Runnymede Trust's recommendation (Echo, Oct 12) that being British is "racist", I regard this statement as highly offensive, and amounts to racism and intimidation towards British people.

In addition its recommendation that Britain is to be re-named "a community of communities" the report if implemented, would mean that English people would be no more than one of many communities here and in effect would lost their own country.

If this is the consequence of immigration, it is time we stopped offering asylum to the world. If we do not, we will lose our country. It is as unacceptable as that. - M Bell, Sedgefield.

PENSIONS

HUGH Pender's comments (Oct 11) regarding pensions are very largely inaccurate.

On one matter I am, for once, in total agreement. Leopards do not change their spots. That's why he must now agree that there is no such party as New Labour. He also conveniently forgot to mention the restoration of the married couples' tax allowance should the Tories regain power.

Yet again, like his leader and his Cabinet, Mr Pender is all spin and no substance. - Fred Thorpe, Richmond.

POLITICS

WHAT a contrast between the Labour Party and the Tories in choice of star celebrities for their respective conferences.

The Labour Party fielded Nelson Mandela, the most respected politician in the world, and a truly great man.

The Tories could only field Jim Davison. - J L Thompson, Crook.

SIAMESE TWINS

I WONDER whether many British people really do welcome the prospect of seeing Siamese twin Mary being done to death so that her healthier sister Jodie can have the "chance" of a normal existence. Do the three Court of Appeal judges who concluded that "unviable" Mary was "designated for death" really think she is any the less precious in God's eyes than her sibling?

Is killing one human being so that another can prosper really the way to win the admiration of our Creator? Law Lords are entitled to their views but, if they are prevalent in their profession, it looks as if the morals of society are completely whacked out.

I wonder if I am the only person to draw the contrast between the Court of Appeal judges' decision and attitude and that of a breakdown in British morals. When Mary's life is extinguished, it will surely rank, in relative terms, as one of Great Britain's most wicked acts.

The British ruling classes have long been adept at dropping moral clangers. Doesn't the Establishment know that little Mary, if asked her preference, would choose to live rather than die? And that Jodie, if given the choice, would probably elect to let her sister survive? - Andrew Lightfoot, Bridlington.